Cancelled tours, empty hotels: Israeli, Palestinian tourism reels as conflict escalates
© Reuters. People walk into Jerusalem's Old City via Jaffa Gate, as the conflict wreaks havoc across the tourism sector October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer
"Business is at a standstill since the war started," said Essa Abu Dawoud, a tour guide in the Palestinian city."The roads were cut off, no one is coming." The assault by Hamas - designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, European Union and other governments - on Israeli communities on Oct. 7 killed at least 1,300 people. Most were civilians, including children.InterContinental Hotels said two of its hotels, Six Senses Shaharut and Hotel Indigo Tel Aviv – Diamond District, were temporarily shut. It has seen some cancellations and some customers moving bookings to later in the year.
The coming months are the busiest of the year for Christian pilgrimages arriving from the United States, Britain and elsewhere in Europe. On the same day, though, the U.S. government raised its travel warning for Israel and the West Bank to Level 3 or"reconsider travel", its second-highest level.Elias al-Arja, the head of the Arab Hotel Association, said most hotels in the West Bank had spent last week helping tourists flee after the violence began.Dan Hotels and Isrotel said they were providing rooms for people fleeing the Gaza border. Dan is also offering 50% discounts off rooms for locals.
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